Wines-by-the-glass options multiply

A diverse selection of wines decorates shelves in the windows at Auden's Kitchen. Auden's offers free wine sampling with free appetizers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday.

A diverse selection of wines decorates shelves in the windows at Auden's Kitchen. Auden's offers free wine sampling with free appetizers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday.

Photo: spoecial to the San Antonio Express-News

Photo: spoecial to the San Antonio Express-News

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A diverse selection of wines decorates shelves in the windows at Auden's Kitchen. Auden's offers free wine sampling with free appetizers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday.

A diverse selection of wines decorates shelves in the windows at Auden's Kitchen. Auden's offers free wine sampling with free appetizers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday.

Photo: spoecial to the San Antonio Express-News

Wines-by-the-glass options multiply

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Gone are the days when ordering wines by the glass meant limited options of chardonnay, merlot and white zinfandel. More restaurants are offering a bigger selection of wines by the glass, which gives them the flexibility to pair wines with food and allows customers to try new varietals and producers.

Kim Wood, bar manager and wine buyer at Auden's Kitchen, selected a core list of 15 to 20 wines to offer by the glass.

“I just wanted to hit on the key varietals that are also food friendly. It changes with the weather,” she says.

The restaurant serves only beer and wine, so she wanted a list that would showcase the food and highlight selections that their customers maybe hadn't tasted.

For this reason, Auden's Kitchen, 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., hosts free wine sampling with free appetizers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday. Wood says that allows them to educate customers, who also have the option to buy bottles of wine for 25 percent off list price to take home.

“Because our list is a little more obscure, we want to be able to open things up for people to try varietals or producers they may not have come across without a commitment to buy a bottle,” she says.

By-the-glass options are grouped by price — $7, $11 and $15. In addition to those options, the restaurant will open any bottle of wine for customers to try with a two-glass minimum.

The wines available are from lesser-known, smaller producers because bottles are sold as retail.

“People do love the fact they can taste new things. They also appreciate that we will open anything on our menu,” she says. “It gives us greater freedom when people ask us to pair wines with their food. That way I'm able to have the whole list at my disposal.”

Another interesting selection of wines is at Picnikins Patio Café, 6901 Blanco Road. Since it has only been open for four months, the list is still being updated.

The wines-by-the-glass menu includes a nice range of varietals — a couple of sparklings, a Riesling, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and a South African chenin blanc.

The owners are from South Africa, so the house wines are from the same area.

General manager Mark McMurray picked wines from his past experience at other restaurants.

“I try to stay away from the wines that you can just go pick up. They're wines you don't just see everywhere. They're a little more eclectic,” he says.

Picnikins' menu includes more than 50 wines between the by-the-glass and bottle options.

Most of the wines cost between $5 to $7 a glass. Four of them cost $9-$11 — the Kenwood Brut California sparkling, Monchoff Riesling and two pinot noirs.

McMurray plans to grow the wine list once dinner business picks up.

“It's getting close. ... We've been more of a lunch crowd so far,” he says.

The restaurant is also working on server knowledge, setting up wine classes for them. Eventually, they will add wine pairings to the dinner menu.